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  • Title: Physiological elevations of plasma beta-endorphin alter glucose metabolism in obese, but not normal-weight, subjects.
    Author: Giugliano D, Cozzolino D, Salvatore T, Ceriello A, Torella R, Franchimont P, Lefebvre PJ, D'Onofrio F.
    Journal: Metabolism; 1992 Feb; 41(2):184-90. PubMed ID: 1736041.
    Abstract:
    The present study was undertaken to evaluate the metabolic and hormonal responses to physiologic elevations of plasma beta-endorphin concentrations in both normal-weight and obese healthy subjects. The infusion of synthetic human beta-endorphin (4.5 ng/kg/min) produced the following: (1) in normal-weight subjects, no significant change of plasma glucose and pancreatic hormones (insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon), a significant plasma free fatty acids (FFA) increase, and a suppression of glycerol plasma levels; (2) in obese subjects, significant increases of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon, a progressive decline of circulating FFA, and no change in glycerol plasma levels. In obese subjects, the intravenous administration of naloxone, given as a bolus (5 mg injected in 5 minutes) before the start of beta-endorphin infusion, reduced the plasma glucose response to the opioid by approximately half, annulled the pancreatic hormonal responses, and also reduced the FFA, but not glycerol, response. In normal-weight subjects, naloxone pretreatment did not induce any change of the flat glucose and hormonal responses to beta-endorphin, but reversed its effects on circulating FFA and glycerol. These data suggest that physiological elevations of plasma beta-endorphin concentrations produce metabolic and hormonal effects in obese subjects significantly different from those occurring in normal-weight subjects; these effects are partially naloxone-sensitive, suggesting the mediation of endogenous opioid receptors.
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